My 4th grader has no teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids graduated out of MCPS last year. I spent a lot of my time through the years to research the MCPS curriculum and enrich, expand, accelerate it for my children. Yes, I did send them to MCPS for normal socialization, for learning how school works and other fun and interesting stuff, but my kids always had my home grown parallel system of education at home. I covered most of the subjects (between DH and I, we have multiple college degrees in multiple fields) at home, except for FL which was taught by an MCPS teacher

My kids were also in the magnet pipeline and I am sorry to say that even in the magnet programs, it was common to have dud teachers and worse administrators. Of course, the magnet programs were a 100 times better than the regular program because of the excellent cohort of students, the informed parents, and the pace and rigor of the curriculum - but it also fell short especially in middle school because of some terrible teachers, exceptionally evil and lazy administrators, and the general exodus of great teachers.

Unfortunately, all this was happening way before COVID. The quality of MCPS education has been going downhill for a long time because of the swinging pendulum of extreme right and extreme left.

I have no words of wisdom for OP. My heart aches for her and her child. Please do whatever is necessary to make sure that they are getting a very good education at home, in private schools, in private coaching classes, through online resources.

You're so extra. So was your response to a mention of not having a centralized teacher assignment in elementary.

I am giving a possible solution, you moron! Parents who can swing it should put together their own educational teams to support their kids since things are not going to get better at MCPS, and the kids cannot afford to not get an education during the academic year.

If the OP is able to solve her kid's problem in any other creative way or by escalating to MCPS then maybe she can share on this thread? IMHO, it is doubtful that she can move the dial at all, unless she raises a whole lot of stink. Good luck to all of you!

Op: my 4th grader doesn't have a teacher
Pp: private tutors!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So sorry, OP. This truly stinks. It is not ideal for anyone - teachers, students, staff. What kind of an effect will this have in morale.

I can’t believe people think we should just accept this nonsense. It has become abundantly clear that MCPS is just a dysfunctional school system and is too big and too overcrowded. How is this okay?

So what’s your solution, babe? Or did you just drop by to complain? Parents have been truly awful to teachers for years, and now the chickens are coming home to roost.

That you're simple-mindedly pinning this on parents and not on ever-increasing administrative burdens, overcrowded classrooms, pay, etc. paints you as a sh*t stirrer.

This. Clearly MCPS has multiple issues. [b]Blaming parents doesn’t help. The OP is bringing up valid issues that need to be addressed.

MCPS is too big and too over-crowded. Our ‘leaders’ just don’t seem to care.

The school system is broken. And our kids are suffering because of it.

The past two years of ongoing behavior of parents IS a significant part of the “valid issues.” You just don’t want to hear the truth. Too damn bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- the 29 kids is one class. That class stays together. Here’s their schedule-

8:40- breakfast and morning circle with an “extra teacher” I think she teaches something else after she sees them.

9:15- this is reading time. They don’t know who is teaching it. They said they will try to get subs and the reading specialist will help when she can. If they don’t have a sub, it will be whomever is available.

11:15- lunch/recess

12:25- Specials. They are hoping to keep this class together and not with the not hired yet teachers.

1:10- Math with the math specialist. Once a teacher gets hired, they will be broken up into smaller classes.

2:30- Sci/SsThey don’t know who will cover. They are hoping for daily subs until they can find someone. Until then, it will most likely be a different teacher or para than reading as the teachers also all have different jobs.

The other classes get to just stay with 1 teacher all day. I know you all say that I should just think this is fine and normal, but different teachers all day and each day being different is not going to create the community that my child needs. And it will be a completely different experience than the other 4th grade classes.

Nobody is saying that. They’re saying when you ask what you should “do” about it, the answer is nothing, except to supplement at home or if you’re rich, pull your kid out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It baffles me that people truly think this is OK. It’s ok to look at positives but it’s also ok to acknowledge this is Bs

Of course it's not OK and it's absolutely BS. But complaining on DCUM and deluging the principal and superintendent with complaint emails and taking out your frustration with the situation on the remaining teachers like it's some kind of deliberate conspiracy to anger you and ruin your kid is part of the reason we're in this mess to begin with. Teachers got sick of it and voted with their feet. Major steps need to be taken to make teaching a desirable profession and attract more applicants. Salary is part of that but another part is the right to not have to be a doormat to every parent and admin and to be the authority in your classroom. I'm sure someone will come back with, "But teachers are all stupid and badly educated and don't deserve that respect or authority," but it's a chicken/egg situation and something has to give.

I don’t blame teachers at all. They are not in charge of staffing.

I blame Central Office.
I blame the BOE.
I blame MCPS leadership.
I blame our local politicians - for allowing our schools to get so overcrowded (due to various reasons).

Nobody blames teachers.

I blame DCUM. The vitriol against teachers over the last couple of years has been shocking.

And even worse on Facebook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It baffles me that people truly think this is OK. It’s ok to look at positives but it’s also ok to acknowledge this is Bs

Of course it's not OK and it's absolutely BS. But complaining on DCUM and deluging the principal and superintendent with complaint emails and taking out your frustration with the situation on the remaining teachers like it's some kind of deliberate conspiracy to anger you and ruin your kid is part of the reason we're in this mess to begin with. Teachers got sick of it and voted with their feet. Major steps need to be taken to make teaching a desirable profession and attract more applicants. Salary is part of that but another part is the right to not have to be a doormat to every parent and admin and to be the authority in your classroom. I'm sure someone will come back with, "But teachers are all stupid and badly educated and don't deserve that respect or authority," but it's a chicken/egg situation and something has to give.

The principal chose which 29 kids in that grade to screw over. If my kid is one of those 29, I'm going to do everything possible to create more work and more headache for them

And this is why teachers are leaving in droves. Thanks for nothing, PP.

Because parents get up set when school administrators choose not to educate their kid?

Because parents throw tantrums and make demands when they don’t get their way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids graduated out of MCPS last year. I spent a lot of my time through the years to research the MCPS curriculum and enrich, expand, accelerate it for my children. Yes, I did send them to MCPS for normal socialization, for learning how school works and other fun and interesting stuff, but my kids always had my home grown parallel system of education at home. I covered most of the subjects (between DH and I, we have multiple college degrees in multiple fields) at home, except for FL which was taught by an MCPS teacher

My kids were also in the magnet pipeline and I am sorry to say that even in the magnet programs, it was common to have dud teachers and worse administrators. Of course, the magnet programs were a 100 times better than the regular program because of the excellent cohort of students, the informed parents, and the pace and rigor of the curriculum - but it also fell short especially in middle school because of some terrible teachers, exceptionally evil and lazy administrators, and the general exodus of great teachers.

Unfortunately, all this was happening way before COVID. The quality of MCPS education has been going downhill for a long time because of the swinging pendulum of extreme right and extreme left.

I have no words of wisdom for OP. My heart aches for her and her child. Please do whatever is necessary to make sure that they are getting a very good education at home, in private schools, in private coaching classes, through online resources.

You're so extra. So was your response to a mention of not having a centralized teacher assignment in elementary.

I am giving a possible solution, you moron! Parents who can swing it should put together their own educational teams to support their kids since things are not going to get better at MCPS, and the kids cannot afford to not get an education during the academic year.

If the OP is able to solve her kid's problem in any other creative way or by escalating to MCPS then maybe she can share on this thread? IMHO, it is doubtful that she can move the dial at all, unless she raises a whole lot of stink. Good luck to all of you!

Op: my 4th grader doesn't have a teacher
Pp: private tutors!

Op: my 4th grader doesn't have a teacher
some posters: You should talk to MCPS and the school administrators!!
me (pp): Morons!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What grade? I would call Catholic schools near your house and ask if they have any openings. It sounds like a wasted school year. My son had a terrible second grade year with a revolving parade of subs. He also had a terrible first grade teacher and a k teacher was who went on illness leave. When he was going to get a third grade teacher who was going to go out on maternity leave in Nov. I moved him to Catholic school.

+1

Happened to my Kindergartener last year. Pulled and went private. It’s so much better. I’m waiting for the magical time when MCPS gets its act together to go back. Until then, I’m acknowledging my privilege of being able to swing private.

I have no issue with teachers going out on medical leave. It’s MCPS doesn’t seem to have a plan to accommodate for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- the 29 kids is one class. That class stays together. Here’s their schedule-

8:40- breakfast and morning circle with an “extra teacher” I think she teaches something else after she sees them.

9:15- this is reading time. They don’t know who is teaching it. They said they will try to get subs and the reading specialist will help when she can. If they don’t have a sub, it will be whomever is available.

11:15- lunch/recess

12:25- Specials. They are hoping to keep this class together and not with the not hired yet teachers.

1:10- Math with the math specialist. Once a teacher gets hired, they will be broken up into smaller classes.

2:30- Sci/SsThey don’t know who will cover. They are hoping for daily subs until they can find someone. Until then, it will most likely be a different teacher or para than reading as the teachers also all have different jobs.

The other classes get to just stay with 1 teacher all day. I know you all say that I should just think this is fine and normal, but different teachers all day and each day being different is not going to create the community that my child needs. And it will be a completely different experience than the other 4th grade classes.

Teacher here. Clearly many folks commenting have no idea how ES runs. It’s actually okay if the class has different teachers during the day, and actually pretty great if the reading specialist covers reading and math specialist covers math. They are the best trained in those subjects and are supposed to help other teachers. In fact, this is what I would advocate for - until a permanent teacher or long term substitute is hired to take on the whole day, then the class has the two math and reading specialists as primary teacher every day. Daily substitutes or a consistent para can cover homeroom and follow the SS/Science lessons given by the other grade level teachers. Specials should just happen normally.

The reading teacher helping when she can is not her teaching the class. It sounds like 2/3 of core subjects will be taught by floaters. That isn't a good plan. At least language arts should have an actual teacher, not paras, subs, and the reading specialist dropping in and out.

You didn’t read what I wrote. I said that OP should advocate for the reading specialist to BE the teacher for the reading block until a permanent teacher is found. Same for the math specialist. Not “helping out”. This type of coverage has happened with my kids when a teacher was out for 6 weeks due to illness.

Too many people are focused on blame. OP needs a solution. What I suggested is specific, feasible, and operationally under the control of the principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OK, what's the school?

Did this get answered?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK, what's the school?

Did this get answered?

The parent said it was a focus school in Germantown that clearly has trailers. I’m wonder if it’s Ronald McNair or Fox Chapel.

[Anonymous]

The OP’s problem sucks. maybe give it a couple weeks to see how it’s going. The reading and math specialists tend to be great so that’s a good idea from a PP. but the lack of homeroom teacher is awful- this happened to my DD for a while too. Is it possible to switch to a different school due to this circumstance, if it’s looking like a long term situation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The OP’s problem sucks. maybe give it a couple weeks to see how it’s going. The reading and math specialists tend to be great so that’s a good idea from a PP. but the lack of homeroom teacher is awful- this happened to my DD for a while too. Is it possible to switch to a different school due to this circumstance, if it’s looking like a long term situation?

Due to the lack of charters, being able to change schools for situations like these seems reasonable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK, what's the school?

Did this get answered?

The parent said it was a focus school in Germantown that clearly has trailers. I’m wonder if it’s Ronald McNair or Fox Chapel.

Christa McAuliffe ES has both a FT 4th grade teacher and a .875 4th grade long term sub position posted on MCPS Careers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It baffles me that people truly think this is OK. It’s ok to look at positives but it’s also ok to acknowledge this is Bs

Of course it's not OK and it's absolutely BS. But complaining on DCUM and deluging the principal and superintendent with complaint emails and taking out your frustration with the situation on the remaining teachers like it's some kind of deliberate conspiracy to anger you and ruin your kid is part of the reason we're in this mess to begin with. Teachers got sick of it and voted with their feet. Major steps need to be taken to make teaching a desirable profession and attract more applicants. Salary is part of that but another part is the right to not have to be a doormat to every parent and admin and to be the authority in your classroom. I'm sure someone will come back with, "But teachers are all stupid and badly educated and don't deserve that respect or authority," but it's a chicken/egg situation and something has to give.

The principal chose which 29 kids in that grade to screw over. If my kid is one of those 29, I'm going to do everything possible to create more work and more headache for them

And this is why teachers are leaving in droves. Thanks for nothing, PP.

Because parents get up set when school administrators choose not to educate their kid?

Because parents throw tantrums and make demands when they don’t get their way.

Like parents demanding that teachers put their health at risk and not wear masks.

[Anonymous]

Teacher here. Very unlikely the Reading Specialist will teach the literacy block - new guidance from MCPS stating Staff Development Teachers and Reading Specialists are not to be pulled to cover classes this year.